Apparatus for making nuts



April 14, 1970 v. L. wEsTBAY APPARATUS FOR MAKING NUTS Original Filed Aug. 25, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 14405754? Tar/159451 April 14, 1970 v.| .wEs1-BAY 3,505,697

APPARATUS FOR MAKING NUTS Original Filed Aug. 25, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 10-72 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for making nuts including a punch for indenting the center of a blank in a lobed pattern.

This application is a divisional of my copending U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 482,534, led Aug. 25, 1965, now Patent No. 3,382,516.

The present invention relates to apparatus for making nuts and more specifically to apparatus for making castellated nuts.

The castellated or slotted nut has heretofore been made by machining out the slots. This results in a waste of material and requires the use of a large initial blank. In the present invention the slotted nut is made solely, except for tapping, on a header.

lt is an object of the present invention to provide novel apparatus for manufacturing castellated nuts.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a view depicting the formation of a trislotted nut at various work stations of cold heading apparatus from cutoli, through four forming operations, and to piercing;

FIGURE 2 is a series of top, bottom and side elevational views of the tri-slotted nut at the various work stations shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarge top elevational view of the punch used at the third station, which view is similar to the top elevational view of the punch used at the fourth station;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged bottom elevational View of the insert used at the fifth station; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged side elevational view of the punch used at the third station, which view is similar to the side elevational view of the punch used at the fourth station.

The preferred form of the invention is shown relative to the manufacture of a hexagonal nut having three castellations and hence three slots (tri-slotted).

Looking now to Figures 1 and 2 at the 6th station, the iinal castellated nut form (prior to tapping) is shown and is generally indicated by the numeral 10. The nut has three castles or upwardly extending projections 12 located at three alternate corners and extending from the front end of the nut 10. Note that the areas in between the castles or projections 12, and including the other corners, define through slots. The opposite side of the nut 10 is provided with a circular, ilat bearing seat 14. It is importantv that the seat 14 tbe flat and extend continuously such as to provide a good bearing surface for engagement with an adjacent surface against which it is tightened. In the discussion which follows in describing the progressive formation of the nut 10 through the various stations 1-5, similar portions will be given the same numerical designation along with a numerical designation indicating that particular station; for example at station 3 the nut will be designated as 10-3 and the the castellations as 12-3, etc.

3,505,697 Patented Apr. 14, 1970 ICC Looking now to the drawings, specifically to FIGURES l and 2, the rst station is stock cutoif in which circular wire stock 16 is fed through a circular bore in a stationary die member 18 and will extend into a mating bore in a movable cutoff member 20; upon relative sliding movement of the member 20 a blank 10-1 will be cut olf. The blank 10-1 is next transferred to the second station for a Sizing operation.

The second station includes a stationary die member 22 having a circular bore terminating in a counterbore 24 which receives the -blank lll-1. A knockout pin 26 extends through the bore in the stationary member 22 and has a conical tip portion to form a conical depression in the front of the nut blank 10-1. A punch 28 is movable within a bore in a guide member 30 and is likewise provided with a conical tip portion to engage the rear of the blank 10-1. Upon engagement of the blank 10-1 in the second station by the knockout pin 26 and the punch 28, a blank 1li-2 is formed having conical indentations or depressions front and rear. The purpose of the second station is to square up or size the bank 10-1 into a form such as 10-2. Also the metal is moved from the center by the conical tips of the knockout pin 26 and punch 28, since the material in the center is not to be utilized and eventually will have to be removed to form the bore which will be tapped; hence this reduces the amount of scrap material. The blank 10-2 is then moved to the third station and, in being transferred, is rotated i.e., end-for-end.

The third station includes an outer die 32 which has a generally hexagonally shaped bore 34. An insert 36 is mateably located in bore 34 and is provided with a circular bore 38 and terminates at its lower end in a frustoconically shaped surface 40. A knockout pin 42 having a generally circular cross section is located within the bore 38 and is provided with a conical tip portion. A punch 44 is slidably located within a bore of a guide member 46 and is of a shape to be described. In the third station, the blank 10-2, which was of a circular cross section, is formed now into a hexagonal shape and its rear surface is formed with a frusto-conical surface 1'4-3 as a result of engagement with the truste-conical portion 40 and is also provided with a centrally depressed portion as a result of engagement with the conical tip of the knockout pin 42. At the same time at the forward end of the nut blank 10-3, as a result of engagement with the punch 44, the center portion is further depressed and castellations 12-3 are initially and to a limited extent formed.

The punch 44 is shown in FIGURE 3 and has a tip portion 48 which is generally pointed and conical lbut rather than having a circular shape, is provided with a triangular or tri-lobed shape. The tip 48 is connected to a hexagonally shaped portion S0 which is provided with axially extending grooves or slots 52 to serve a purpose to be described. The tip 48 forms the central portion of the blank lil-3 while the hex portion 50v engages the forward, outer surface of the nut blank 10-3, with the material which is forced from the center and outer portions being moved partially into the slots 52 whereby castellations 12-3 are initially formed. The slots 52 are provided to a-ccept any excess material and hence provide a means for accounting for differences in :the quantity of material used in different ones of blanks 10-1.

Note that the triangular or tri-lobed tip 48 is caused to strike the blank 10-3 such that the lobes are located and extend toward those corners which are in between the corners containing the castellations 12-3. By striking the blank 10-2 with such a punch good material ow is caused to occur with the material for the castellations 12-3 being obtained not only from the center but also from the areas into which the lobes of the tip 48 extend; hence the material for the castles 12-3 does not all come from those particular corners in which they appear. The result then is a blank 12-3 having a generally frusto-conical surface 14-3 at its rear surface and having a uniform shape with the castles 12-3 partially formed. It is also important that the material flow be uniform such that the frusto-conical portion 14-3 be smooth to facilitate the formation of this portion into the fiat bearing surface 14. With the die structure, including the tri-lobed tip 48, good material fiow is obtained and the castellations 12-3 are uniformly formed while the desired smooth, continuous frusto-conical portion 14-3 is formed. After the completion of the operation at the third station, the blank 10-3 is then moved straight across (without rotation) into the fourth station.

The fourth station is substantially identical to the third station and hence components in the fourth station similar to and serving similar functions to like components in the third station will be given the same numerical designation with the addition of 4. In the fourth station the conical tip 48-4 is caused to move further into .the center of the blank 10-3 whereby the castles 12-3 are moved even further to define castles 12-4. Note that the punch 44-4 has its tip 48-4 of generally the same shape as .the tip 48 and hence the tri-lobe structure previously described will have the same effect as previously noted, in causing good flow of metal whereby the frusto-conical surface 14-4 will be maintained smooth and uniform while extended castellations 12-4 are formed. The blanks 10-4 is next moved to the fifth station.

At the fifth station the nut blank 10-4 is worked to substantially its final form and hence the frusto-conical surface 14-4 is fiattened to provide the bearing seat 14-5 and the castellations 12-4 are finally formed into the shape of the castellations 12-5. The fifth station comprises a die 54 Ahaving a hexagonally shaped bore 56 and is provided with an insert 58 which matea'bly fits within the bore 56 and which itself is provided with a circular bore 60 into which is located a knockout pin 62 having a generally circular section. Note that the blank 10-4 is rotated 180 (end-for-end) in being moved from the fourth to the fifth station. Thus the insert 58 is provided with a plurality of pockets 64 (see FIGURE 4) which receive the castellations 12-4. A punch member 65 is of a generally circular cross section and is provided with a generally fiat tip 66 and a generally fiat, circular, outer portion 68. The tip 66 is locatable generally within the center of the nut blank 10-5, while the at circular portion 68 engages the frusto-conical portion 14-4 to fiatten that portion whereby the flat bearing seat 14-5 is formed. At the same time the castles 12-4 are finally formed to castles 12-5 by engagement with the walls of the cavities 64 whereby the proper height and shape of the castles 12-5 is determined. Note .that a slight extra clearance is provided within the cavity 64 which accounts for variations in the quantities of material in blank 10-1. Also note that as shown in the top view of FIGURE 2, at station 5 a chamfer is formed on the radially outer edge of the center indentation; the chamfer prevents the formation of a sharp edge around the center indentation (and hence around the eventually formed through bore) and also enhances the flow of material.

The blank -5 out of station 5 is generally in the final shape and is rotated 180 as it is located within the sixth station at which the center of the nut 10-5 is pierced to form the nut blank 10. The only step remaining then is the tapping of the bore in the nut blank 10. This finally formed nut blank 10 is provided with a fiat bearing surface 14, and is provided with castles 12 which are of a proper, desired height and shape. Note then that .the castellated nut 10 has been made substantially completely with heading apparatus and that very little material is wasted, i.e., being only .that portion which is removed upon final piercing at the sixth station. Thus novel method and apparatus have been shown for making a castellated nut which is inexpensive and in which the amount of Waste material has been reduced.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiments of the invention disclosed are well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair vmeaning of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for forming a multi-sided castellated nut by heading, withthe castles located at selected corners of the nut, the improvement comprising: a punch having a multi-sided portion having the same number of sides as the nut and having axially extending grooves at selected corners, said punch having a reduced size tip portion of a multi-lobed construction with a lobe located between adjacent ones of said grooves, and female die means for peripherally, matingly receiving said punch whereby a multi-sided blank will be formed into a shape having castles at selected corners.

2. The apparatus, of claim 1 including first die means for forming a solid, generally circular blank into a multisided blank having castles extending from selected corners of the front and having a frusto-conical, outer peripheral surface at the rear, said first die means comprising said p-unch, and second die means for final forming the castles of the multi-sided blank and for fiattening the frusto-conical surface into a fiat, annular bearing surface, said second die means comprising a female die member having a multi-sided bore for peripherally matingly re ceiving the multi-sided blank, an insert located peripherally matings Within said multi-sided bore and having a central bore and a plurality of radial slots extending from preslected corners to said central bore with said preselected corners coinciding with the selected corners of the multi-sided blank, and a knockout punch matingly located in said central bore, and male die means operatively connected with said female die member, said insert, and said knockout punch for defining a cavity for receiving the multi-sided blank.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, said second die means comprising a punch having a tip portion for engaging a central portion of the multi-sided blank and an enlarged, fiat annular portion for engaging the frusto-conical outer peripheral surface of the multi-sided blank.

4. In apparatus for forming a multi-sided castellated nut by heading with the castles located at selected corners of the nut, the improvement comprising: female die means including a female die member having a multi-sided bore having the same number of sides as the nut, an insert located peripherally, matingly Within said multi-sided bore and having a central bore and a plurality of radial slots extending from selected corners to said central bore, and a knockout punch matingly located in said central bore, and maledie means operatively connected with said female die means for defining a cavity for receiving a castellated, multi-sided blank with the castles of the blank being locatable within said slots whereby the final form of the castles can be obtained.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,314,668 9/1919 Jaques 10-72 2,016,296 10/1935 Rosborough 1072 2,074,678 3/ 1937 Wilcox 10--72 2,100,357 11/1937 Rosborough l0-72 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner E. M. COMBS, Assistant Examiner 

